United States, Washington, DC - U.S. based peace activists will
assemble in front of the White House on October 13 as a signal to
visiting South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak that his support for
the illegal construction of a naval base on Korea’s Jeju Island is
garnering international heat.

Since 2007, protests have occurred at the site of the proposed
base, which would host up to 20 American and South Korean warships,
including submarines, aircraft carriers and destroyers, several of
which would be fitted with the Aegis ballistic-missile defense
system.

South Korea started construction of the base in January but
protests halted the work in June. Construction has again resumed
despite democratic appeals for its halt, including one from the
Jeju Provincial Council on Oct. 4 following a 22-day investigation
into the procedures that set the plan into motion.

Just last week nine Catholic priests, a South Korean journalist and
11 college students were arrested as part of the Jeju naval base
protests under the banner of violating Article 314 which is the
penal code for "obstruction of business" and is most often used to
arrest and imprison trade unionists for exercising their democratic
rights. Two hundred others have been called in for questioning by
police not because they have committed any crimes, but because they
are being targeted for their political beliefs and affiliations and
for exercising their democratic rights.

Recently the Pan-Korean Committee to stop the Jeju naval base
stated, “The police are indiscriminately and violently arresting
and detaining not only the Gangjeong villagers and activists who
protest against naval base construction but also clerics and news
reporters, too. It is the police who have downfallen as the guards
of the naval base construction, not minding the protection of the
people’s basic rights such as the freedom of expression.”

Among those imprisoned is the democratically elected mayor of
Gangjeong, the tiny fishing and farming village on Jeju’s south
shore that is the site for the slated construction. The vote to
authorize the installation of the naval base was decided by 87
people—some of whom were reportedly bribed—out of a village of
1,900 and an island of more than a half-million people.

Jeju Island, 50 miles southeast of South Korea’s mainland, is a
pristine 706-square-mile volcanic island that is the site of three
UNESCO World Natural Heritage sites. It was also the scene of a
1948 massacre by South Korean police and military forces of 30,000
civilians. In 2005, Roh Moo-hyun, then South Korea’s president,
apologized for the atrocities and designated Jeju as an “Island of
World Peace.”

U.S, President Barack Obama will host Lee for talks and a state
dinner on October 13. U.S. House Speaker John Boehner has also
invited Lee to address a joint session of Congress during his state
visit.

Details regarding the Protest Lee Myung-Bak in DC rally can be
found on the protest homepage
www.ProtestLMBinDC.org